by Kathy Harris
Danni nodded, turned, and walked to her car. If she looked back, she would break down. She had to be strong for her daddy. And for Chloe.
Danni pulled into the long access road that encircled the Nashville International Airport. Glancing toward the terminal she saw a line of planes waiting to be pulled into action. The landscape, temporarily lit by the post-dawn sun and streetlamps, took on an ethereal glow.
Her hands trembled as she pulled her bags from the trunk. She would have been a wreck—well, more of a wreck—if a direct, early morning flight to Cedar Rapids hadn’t been available. The combination of stress and little sleep hadn’t left her a lot of stamina. It also had a sedative effect.
Danni’s check-in process and time spent waiting passed quickly, and once she found her seat and stowed her bag, she settled in for a nap. Curled up against the window on the right side of the plane, she stared into the clouds.
The sound of the engines and the gentle swaying of the aircraft took her back to the front seat of her dad’s Ford sedan when he and the girls were on their way home from church. Or an out of town softball game. Or a camping trip. On the longer trips she would try to stay awake and keep her dad company while Chloe slept in the backseat. But Danni would almost inevitably doze off. And when she did, it always felt like she had let her father down.
Much like she felt right now. She wished she could have been there sooner to provide backup for Chloe. It was what she had always done.
As far back as Danni could remember, she had tried to compensate for Chloe’s loss. But replacing a mom’s love was never possible, even when you had the best dad in the world. Dan Kemp had raised his two girls on his own. And he had sacrificed a lot to give them everything they needed.
Now he needed them.
The strength of their family was lying in a hospital room fighting for his life. It didn’t seem real. But nothing seemed real right now. Michael Ryan’s memorial would be held in Nashville this afternoon. And because Danni couldn’t be there to help encourage the Amoré staff, Jaycee would carry the load.
Danni braced against the window of the plane. At least she wouldn’t have to see Rob when he came through town. He couldn’t ask her about the briefcase. And her time away would give her a chance to assess everything that had happened since last week. The break-in. Her meeting with the TBI.
And her engagement.
When Danni told her dad about Rob asking her to marry him, he had been polite. But she had heard the hesitation in his voice. Although Dan Kemp had met Rob on a few occasions, they hadn’t spent much time together. Typical of Rob, he always managed to be busy beyond a polite meal or two when Dan Kemp was in town.
Danni shifted her seating position and noticed the man across the aisle. She had seen him somewhere before, but where? She met hundreds of people each week at the restaurant and business functions. Most were just nameless faces that appeared and sometimes reappeared in her life.
The man across the aisle glanced toward her. She smiled, and he looked away. Where had she seen him? She would remember eventually. But right now, she should try to nap. It would be hours before she had the chance to relax again. She pulled her blanket tightly around her body and repositioned her neck pillow.
Sleep wouldn’t come in the first leg of the flight, but after the plane landed, unloaded, and reloaded at Chicago O’Hare, Danni fell into a dreamless repose. Two hours later she woke to the sound of landing gears grinding into position and the bump of wheels touching down.
Iowa. It had been too long.
Danni grabbed her purse, her carry-on bag, and her goose-down parka. The sooner she reached baggage claim and found her brother-in-law Brian, the sooner she would have an update on her dad.
Stretching as she stood, Danni noticed the seat across the aisle was empty. The man who had been sitting there when they left Nashville, the one who looked familiar, must have deplaned in Chicago.
She made the short walk to baggage claim and found her luggage already on the rotating belt. After snagging it, she scrolled through her text messages.
She had a message from Jaycee. But nothing from Chloe.
“Hey, pretty girl.” A tall, slender man with curly red hair pulled her into a sideways embrace while taking the suitcase from her hand. “You’re looking great. The air in Tennessee must be good for you.”
Danni smiled. Brian Jackson always made her feel welcome. Chloe had found a good man, one not unlike their dad. He was a good-hearted, hard-working guy who loved his family more than anything.
He was handsome too. But he appeared to have aged a few years since she’d seen him less than six months ago at Christmas. No doubt the strain of her dad’s sickness was weighing on him too.
“How’s dad?”
Her brother-in-law grimaced. “We’re worried about him, Danni. Chloe can’t wait to see you.” He pointed toward the rotating belt behind her. “Do you have everything?”
“Yes.” She nodded. “Is it cold outside?”
He grinned. “If we’re lucky, we’ll break into the double digits today.”
“I don’t miss that about Iowa.” Danni zipped her parka, pulled gloves from her pockets, and started walking toward the double doors that led outside. “You look tired. I’m guessing neither of you have slept since yesterday.”
“Not a lot.” He allowed her to walk through the door in front of him. “It’s okay. We’ll sleep later. Our concern right now is for your dad.”
Danni startled when a gust of cold air greeted her. “I’m glad I’m here.”
“We just wish it weren’t under these circumstances.” He pointed in the direction of his car. “Chloe and the kids will be thrilled to see you.”
“Are we going straight to the hospital?”
“Yes. You can see the kids tonight.”
Brian Jackson stopped next to a white minivan. He opened the passenger side door for her, and Danni hopped inside while he stowed her bags.
“So, you traded your GTO for a family van?” She teased when he joined her inside the car.
“No, actually, Chloe has the GTO today.” He laughed. “You know how much I love that car.”
“A remnant from life as a single man?” She laughed.
He nodded. “Yes, but Chloe loves it too. We traded her old Beetle for this van.”
“The two of you are so practical.” Danni fastened her seatbelt. “I want to be like you when I grow up.”
“Is that ever going to happen?” Her brother-in-law grinned and backed the minivan from the parking spot. He turned to look at her. “So when are you going to settle down? You must have left a long trail of broken hearts behind you by now.”
Danni forced a smile. Brian meant well, but romance wasn’t her favorite topic. She hadn’t dated much before Rob. Taking care of Chloe and helping their dad had changed her priorities as a teenager. At a time when most girls her age were dreaming about boys, Danni had been helping her dad cook and clean. Not because he had insisted but because she had wanted to do it.
Soon after Chloe was twelve, Danni had gone off to college, forever losing her chance to be a teenager.
“Did I say something wrong?” He grimaced.
“No. Sorry.” She shook her head. “I was just lost in my thoughts.” She checked her lipstick in the visor mirror. “I’m seeing someone right now, but . . .”
He waited for her to finish her sentence.
“I’m not sure how it’s going to end.”
Brian looked her way. “That guy you’ve been dating for a while?”
“Yes.”
“Well, he’ll be a lucky man if you decide to keep him.”
“Thanks.” Danni smiled, genuinely this time. Her brother-in-law always knew how to encourage her.
Not unlike Rob did. No matter how her relationship with him ended, there was a positive side. He was the first man to pursue her with enough confidence to get past the insecurities that had lingered since her childhood. And in many ways, he had helped build her confidence. Not only because
he was charming but because he was the most handsome guy in the room—and he had chosen her.
“Do me a favor and check your messages.” Brian interrupted her thoughts for the second time. “Anything from Chloe?”
Danni grabbed her phone and scrolled through her texts and emails. “Nothing here. What time is the surgery?”
“It will depend on the availability of the surgeon.” He turned the van onto the main highway. “His doctors also want to wait until he’s stable.”
“It needs to be done soon, doesn’t it?”
“Yes. But his chances are better if he’s stabilized going in.”
Danni turned to look out the window, the brown roadside vegetation and gray asphalt providing no solace.
Sensing her worry, her brother-in-law reached across the console to lay his hand on her arm. “We have a lot of people praying for him, Danni.”
“He’s all I have.” She scrubbed a tear from her cheek. “Chloe has you . . . and the kids, but—”
“You have us too. We’re family.”
Danni nodded. “I know . . .”
“This is hard for me too, Danni. I love your dad. He’s been a big influence on my life. Even before Chloe and I were married, he helped me through some tough things.”
“He’s an amazing guy.” Her voice trailed off, and memories of her childhood flooded back. Please, God. Let him be okay.
Ten minutes later Brian pulled into the circular drive in front of the hospital. He stopped to let Danni out before parking. “Chloe is in the fourth floor waiting room. I’ll meet you there.”
Danni hurried into the hospital lobby and took the first open elevator. She gathered her courage as she approached the fourth floor. She had to be strong for her sister.
When the doors opened, she saw Chloe sitting in a chair in the corner. Her hands were folded in her lap, and her head was bowed.
“Chlo—” Danni half-breathed, half-shouted as she sprinted across the room.
“Danielle!” Chloe jumped to her feet and pulled Danni into a hug.
“I’m so glad you’re here. I’m so glad you’re here.” She sobbed. “They’ve just taken him to surgery.”
Danni paced the long hallway between the waiting area and the outpatient wing on the far side of the hospital. If her mind couldn’t rest, her feet might as well move. By the second round, she decided to count her steps.
One-ninety-five. One-ninety-six. One-ninety-seven . . .
Making an about-face, she started again.
The doctor had told Chloe it would be five or six hours before they knew the outcome of the procedure. The waiting would have been easier if Danni had been here in time for a hug and a few encouraging words to her dad before he had been taken away.
She should have made time in her busy schedule to come home more often. But somehow work had seemed more important than family.
Ironically, her dad had always made time for her.
Please, God, let us keep him.
It had been a long time since she had whispered a prayer. Had she been too busy for that too? Or had she grown self-sufficient? Hardly. She was about to fall apart because her father’s life was in peril.
At that moment Brahms’s “Lullaby” streamed through the speakers in the hallway. New life had come into the world. But would her father’s remain?
An onslaught of shivers traipsed down her spine. Their dad’s presence had been a constant in her and her sister’s lives. And, although they were young women now, it was impossible to imagine life without him.
Moisture gathered in Danni’s eyes, blurring the stretch of hallway in front of her. The only sound in the sterile passageway was the steady fall of her footsteps. She amped up her pace with the inexplicable urge to run.
Out the door. Down the street. Even back to Nashville. To get away—
But she couldn’t.
She couldn’t do what her mother had done. Even if she shared part of her name. Danielle Grace Kemp was the spitting image of her mother in her younger photos. But following in Grace Kemp’s path had always been Danni’s worst fear.
You didn’t leave the people you loved. They were the ones who needed you most. A commitment was a commitment even during bad times. It wasn’t just for when it was convenient. It was forever.
The thought stopped her in her tracks. That was her answer.
She couldn’t leave Rob, not now when things were bad for him. Not when the authorities were accusing him of a ridiculous crime. She had to stick with him. And support him. He might not be perfect, but he was willing to commit himself to her. Shouldn’t she do the same?
Danni pulled her cell phone from her pocket to give Rob a call. She had to let him know she cared. But before she could dial his number, her phone rang. It was Jaycee.
“I just wanted to check on you and your dad.”
Danni switched the phone to her other ear as she neared the waiting room. “No news yet. I’m hoping that’s good—”
A man sitting in the corner near the vending machines took Danni’s attention. It was the same man she had seen on the airplane. The one who looked familiar. What were the chances he would be here?
Danni’s stomach churned. Who was he? Her thoughts swirled in a thousand different directions, finally landing on one. TBI?
Was that even possible? Would Caleb or his boss send someone to spy on her in Iowa? How dare they! The idea of that made her furious. This was not the time or the place. She took a step toward the man, to confront him, and then stopped.
What if he wasn’t TBI but from the other side? What if Rob really was involved in an international drug ring, and she had somehow become involved? What if this was one of the bad guys?
Suddenly the possibility that Caleb had sent someone to watch her—to look after her—didn’t seem so bad.
“Danni?” Jaycee brought her back to the call.
“Oh . . . sorry.” She collected her thoughts. She couldn’t tell Jaycee about the investigation.
“Are you okay?”
Danni saw Chloe waving from across the room.
“Jay, it looks like Chloe has news. I need to let you go.”
“Call me when you know more.”
“Will do.” Danni stuffed the phone into her pocket and rushed toward her sister. Chloe’s eyes were red.
The news must be bad.
She reached to embrace Chloe, pulling her into her arms, and they both began sobbing.
CHAPTER 15
Caleb wheeled his 1989 midnight blue Chevrolet pickup into the driveway beside Zach’s house and turned off the engine. He hadn’t seen the boy in weeks. That wasn’t the way to build a relationship. Caleb stepped out of the truck onto the ragged remains of deteriorating asphalt. Zach was already nine, and Caleb had promised himself that he would make a difference in the kid’s life before it was too late. It was past time to make good on that promise.
Of course it would be easy to justify his absence. He had been walking the streets day and night trying to crack the Evans case. But work was an excuse too many people used when they didn’t want to spend time with their kids. Caleb’s own father could have used it many times. But he hadn’t. No matter when or where Will Samuels’s sons needed him, he had always been there for them.
Caleb slammed the truck door. Unfortunately it hadn’t been enough in his case. But it would for Zach. He would see to it, because the alternative was unthinkable. Caleb couldn’t imagine the intrusion of narcotics upon Zach’s innocence. Despite the boy’s family history, he had kept his naivete. And Caleb would do everything he could to keep it that way. Zach was more than a little buddy. He was the absolution of Caleb’s past.
Walking toward the small gray bungalow, Caleb noticed the faded, moldy siding. Once the weather warmed, he would pick up a few cans of paint, and he and Zach would spend an afternoon or two working together. It would be good for both of them. And it would help Zach and his mom hold their heads a little higher.
Caleb pulled a dead branch from
a shrub adjacent to the sidewalk. There was a lot that needed to be done around here. But elbow grease and a little bit of pocket change could get it in shape. Caleb’s parents hadn’t had a lot of money either. But they had taught him and Jonathan the value of taking care of what you had. And that included each other. They had taught him that family was the most important thing in life.
That thought punched Caleb in the gut as he stepped onto the sagging floorboards of Zach’s front porch. All he had ever done was let his family down. If it hadn’t been for his bad decisions, his younger brother would still be alive. Jonathan had been an innocent bystander. His only crime was wanting to be with his big brother. But Caleb had chosen to hang out with the wrong crowd.
Just as Danielle Kemp had.
What she saw in Robert Evans was inexplicable. The man was a scumbag. Poor company to be keeping, much less to consider marrying. If he didn’t get her killed first.
Caleb knocked on Zach’s front door. He shouldn’t be thinking about Danielle Kemp on a day off. He should be focusing on Zach. But the dark-haired woman needed him too. If he didn’t help keep her safe, she would become another innocent casualty. And if he had anything to do about it, she wouldn’t meet the fate Jonathan had.
When the door opened, a blond-haired boy greeted Caleb with a bounce. Zach’s eyes were as wide as his big toothy grin.
“You’re here!”
The nine-year-old rushed forward, thrusting his arms around Caleb’s waist, and hugged him.
Oh, God. Please help me protect this young man.
Danni pulled Chloe closer, waiting for her to stop shaking. Waiting for her to deliver the bad news. Life for their family had just changed forever. It was impossible to think that—
She couldn’t complete the thought. Maybe it wasn’t as bad as she feared. Maybe there was a chance. She had to know what the doctor had told her sister. Pushing Chloe gently away, Danni searched her sister’s eyes.
Chloe hiccupped and brushed away tears, then broke into a wide smile. “He made it.” She grabbed Danni’s arm and shook it, jumping up and down. “He made it, Danni! The doctor said the surgery went better than expected.”